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A. LINDNER.

CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MAGHINE.

No. 606,351. Patented June 28,1898.

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A. E. LIN DNER CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE.

,351 Patented June 28, 1898.

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A. E. LINDNER. OIRGULAR'WARP KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 606,351. Patented June 278, 1898.

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CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE. No. 606,351. Patented June 28, 1898.

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CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE. I No. 606,351. Patented June 28, 1898.

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A. E. LINDNER. CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE. No. 606,851. Patented June 28,1898.

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(No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 7.

A. EpLINDNER. CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 606,351. Patented June 28,1898.

ATTOH (No Model) 10 Sheets-Sheet 8. A E LINDNER CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE. No. 606,351.

Patented June 28,1898.

ATTOHNE S.

(No Model.) 10 Sh66t-Sh88t 9. A. E. LINDNER. CIRCULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE.

Patented June 28,1898,

THE Nomus FETzRs $0., Fno'muwon WASNING (N0 ModeL) 10 Sheets-Sheet 10. A. E. LINDNER. GIRGULAR WARP KNITTING MACHINE.

N0. 60 6,351.- Patented June 28,1898

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ARTHUR E. LINDNER, OF \VILMINGTON, DELAWTARE, ASSIGNOR TO JULIUS KAYSER, OF.NEVV YORK, N. Y.

CIRCULAR-WARP-KNITTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,351, dated June 28, 1898. Application filed July 21,1897. SerialNo.645,845. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are vertical detail sectional Be it known that I, ARTHUR E. LINDNER, a views showing the different positions of citizen of the Empire of Germany, residing in the thread-guides relatively. to the needles,

YVilmington, in'the county of New Castle and presserring,and sinkers during the formation 5 5 State of Delaware, have invented certain new of th e stitches. Fig. 10 represents a vertical and useful Improvements in Circular-VVarp transverse section through the main guide- Knitting Machines, of which the following is ring,the thread-guide carrier rings, and pawla specification." carrier rings; showing the thread-guides and This invention relates to certain improve their supporting -plates in side elevation. 60

1o ments in circular-warp-knitting machines of Fig. 11 represents a plan view of one section that class by which a knitted warp fabric of the supportingplate for, the upper thread known as Milaiiaise is produced at a conguides. Fig.12represents a plan view of a siderably-greater speed and at smaller exsection of the supportingplate of the lower pense than by the ordinary straight-Warpthread-guides. Fig. 13 represents a plan 65 i5 knitting machines heretofore in use. view of the main guide-ring, pawl-carrier The invention consists, mainly, of a circurings, and thread-guide-carryi11g rings. Fig. lar-warp-knitting machine which comprises 14representsadetail elevation of the pattern a series of reciprocating needles, a verticallywheel mechanism by which intermittent moreciprocating presser-ring above said neetion in opposite directions is alternately im- 70 2o dlcs, a vertically-reciprocating sinker-ring parted to the pawl-carrier rings. Fig. 15 repbelow the needles, horizontally-reciprocating resents a detail plan view of the patternsinkers, and two sets of thread J guides to wheels by which said motion is imparted, which an intermittent or step by-step rotary showing the main guide-ring removed. Fig. motion in opposite directions to each other is 16 represents a vertical radial section through 7 5 2 5 imparted. i the main guide-ring and through the thread- The invention consists, further, of mechanguide-carrier rings and pawl-carrier rings isms by which the required motion is imdisposed therein and through the top ring, parted to the different parts described by showing the supports for said main guidemeans' of cams from a main and auxiliary ring in connection with the pattern mechan- 8o 3o driVingshaft, as will be fully described hereism for operating the pawl-carrying rings. inafter and finally pointed out in the claims. Fig. 17 represents a detail section showing In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 the spline connection of the transmitting represents a plan view of my improved cirratchet-wheel with the shaft of the patterncular-warp-knitting machine, apart being Wheels. Fig. 18 represents a detail plan View 5 broken off. Fig. 2 representsavertical cenof the pattern-wheelmechanis1n. Fig. 19 tral section of the same on line 2 2, Fig. 1, represents a detail plan view of an oscillating drawn on thesame scale as Fig. 1. Fig. 3 elbow-lever interposed between the retractrepresents a horizontal section o'nline 3 8 of ing-camand the connecting-rod of the pat Fig. 2. Fig. 4L represents a vertical central tern-wheel mechanism. Fig. 20representsa 9o section through the upper part of the madetail plan view of the mechanism for actuchine, and more especially through the neeating the bobbin-rin gs. Figs. 21 and 22 are dle-plate, presser-ring,and sinker-ring, sl1owrespectively a plan view and a side view of in g some of the mechanisms for actuating the one of theneedle-carriers. Fig. 23 represents needles, presser-ring, and sinker-s. Fig. 5 a perspective View of the group of needles in 5 represents a plan view of one-half of the neeeach needle-carrier. Fig. 24L represents asecdle bed-plate, showing a port-ion of the series tional side elevation of one ofthe sinker-carof reciprocating needles, the guide-grooves riers. Fig. 25 represents :a perspective view therefor, the needle-carriers, and the operatof the group of sinkers in each sinker-carrier. ing mechanism for the needlecarriers. Fig. Figs. 26 to 31 are diagrams showing the suc- 100 6 represents a bottom view of one-half of the cessive operations of the needles, prcssersinkerring with its actuating mechanism. rings, sinkers, and thread-guides required for forming a stitch. Fig. 32 represents an elevation, on a greatly-enlarged scale, of a fragment of the fabric, a transverse section of the front end of one of the needles just back of its barb, and end elevations of the thread guides, the needle being in its outermost position and the thread-guides beingin the positions which they assume above the needle after having shifted horizontally, the threads to form the next loop being crossed over the upper surface of the shank of the needle. Fig. 33 represents, also on a greatly-enlarged scale, an elevation of a fragment of the fabposition which it assumes after being partially drawn inward with its barb closed over the crossed threads and the previously-formed loop riding over the top of the barb, the thread-guides being in their lowered position below the needles. Fig. 34: is a diagram representing on an enlarged scale the method of forming the fabric in connection with a num ber of needles, the parts being in the same relative positions as in Fig.

The same letters and numbers of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the circular bed-plate of my improved circularwarp knitting machine; A, four upright standards which are rigidly attached to said bed-plate and which serve as supports for the brackets a a, on which the lowerbobbin-carrying ring 13 is supported, while the upper ends of the standards support a ring-shaped plate A on which the upper bobbin-carrying ring B is supported. The upright standardsA are further provided below the top ring A that binds the standards rigidly together, with suitable brackethearings, in which some of the auxiliary motion-transmitting shafts are supported. At the center of the bed-plate A are arranged four upright standards A", which are located radially in line with the outer standards A, and which arecurved inwardly at their upper parts, so as to support the stationary needle bed-plate (J, the bearings for a central vertical motiontransmitting shaft S, and to four shorter standards A, which are curved at their upper ends, by which the bearin gs for the trans- 1nitting-shafts, by which motion is imparted to the vertically-reciprocatin presser-ring D, are supported. On outwardly projecting brackets a and a of the upright standards A are guided vertically-reciprocating rods 6, which support at their upper ends the sinkerring 13,011 which the sinkers are supported,

said rods 6 receiving vertical motion from grooved cams eon the main driving-shaft S, said shaft extending between two diametrically opposite outer and inner standards A A and being supported in suitable journalbearings of the same. At right angles to the driving-shaft S are arranged two shorter driving shafts S S, which are supported in suitable bracket-bearings attached to the bedplate A, and which are likewise provided with grooved cams c, as shown in plan view in Fig. 3, that actuate the sinker-1 in g by other intermediate rods and the cams e. The inner ends of the rotary shafts S S", as well as the step-bearing of the vertical shaft S, are supported in, a yoke-shaped bracket A (Shown in Fig. 2.) Rotary motion is transmitted from the main driving-shaft S by bevelgears 10, 11, and 12 to the rotary shafts S 8 and by larger bevel-gears 13 and let to the vertical shaft S, as shown clearly at the lower part of Fig. 2.

ric, the barbed end of the needle, and the ends .of the thread-guides, the needle being in the The needle carrying mechanism. The needle bed-plate O is supported in stationary position 011 the inner standards A and provided With an exterior ring in which radial groovesare arranged for guiding the shanks of the individual sections of the needle-can riers. Concentric with this grooved guide ring is arranged a second interior ring (3 needle-carriers 16, as shown in Fig. at the. left-hand side, while the right-hand side of Fig. 5 shows the grooved interior and exterior guide-rings with needle-carriers and actuating-slides removed. Each needle-carrier 1s provided with, say, ten needles 15, as shown in Figs. 21 to 23, the shanks of the needles being set into recesses of the carriers and secured by suitable cap-plates in the same. The head of each T-slide C ispivotally connected with the shanks of six needle-carriers;

Qbut it is obvious that a larger or smaller number may be connected with said T-slide, according as the machine is made larger or smaller in size,for knitting tubular fabrics of greater or smaller diameter. The inner ends of the radial shanks of the T-slides C are connected by pins with bell-crank levers G which are fulcru-med at their apices to the 1 raised portions of the inner ring 0 as shown in Fig. 5, while the inner ends of said fulcrumed bell-crank lovers are engaged by pins .of a rotary reciprocating ring 0, which is guided in acircular groove of the needle bedplate and which is actuated by a fulcrumed lever C", that is pivoted to a point of the ring 1 O fulcrumed to the central depressed portion of the bed-plate C, the inner arm of said fulcrum-lever C" being provided with an antifriction-roller that is engaged by a camto the vertical central shaft S. motion of the cam O imparts by its eccentric cam-groove an oscillating motion to the fulgroove at the under side of a cam 0 attached The rotary crumed lever G which imparts thereby ro- .tary reciprocating motion to the actuatingring 0 This motion is again transmitted by the fulernmed elbow-levers to the T-piece C and by them to the needle-carriers, so that in this manner the entire series of needles IIO an inverted-bell-shaped presser-ring carrier.

D. The presser-ring is preferably arranged in closely-abutting sections, that are applied stationarily to the bell-shaped. carrier'D by set-screws 20, which pass through suitable slots 21 in the upper parts of the presser-ring sections, so that the presser-ring can be.

slightly adjusted in an up-and-down direction relatively to the beards'of the needles. The

bell-shaped carrierD is provided with a central top opening and side openings, so as to decrease its weight, and receives a vertically reciprocatingmotion by means of four grooved cams D which are attached to four radial shafts D that are located at right angles to each other, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. The grooved cams D engage antifriction-pins D, arranged on slide-blocks D guided in the short upright stand ards A, which are attached to the stationary needle bed-plate. The presser-ring carrier is supported at its inner rim on the slide-blocks D and fastened by screws 22 to the same, so as to prevent any axial motion. On the upper end of the vertical shaft S and above the needle bed-plate is arranged a smaller bevel wheel 30 and above the same a larger bevel-wheel 34, the smaller meshing with bevel-wheels 31 and 32 of two diametrical shafts D while the larger bevel-whcel 34 engages corresponding bevelwheels on the inner ends of the remaining two shafts D ,that are arranged at right angles to the former, so that all four shafts receive rotary motion and impart thereby the required degree of vertically-reciprocating motion to the presser-ring. i

The sinkerwing-Below the stationary needle bed-plate is arranged the sinker-ring This sinker-ring is guided in its vertical movement imparted by the rods 6 on a circular shoulder e on the under side of the needle bed-plate O, as shown in Fig. 4. sinker-ring E is preferably made of one integral casting and provided at its under side with radial grooves for guiding the shanks E of the sinker-carriers E which are shown in Figs. 24 and 25. The shanks of the sinkercarriers are retained in radial grooves at the under side of the sinker-rings by means of cap-plates 40, so as to prevent the dropping of the sinker-carriers. Each sinker-carrier is provided with, say, ten sinkers E The sinkers E are vcrticall y secured in groups of ten, more or less, in any suitable manner to sinker-carriers e. These sinker-carriers are secured in vertical position on sinker-slides The E having shanks E. The sinker-carriers are preferably adjustable vertically on the sinker-slides. To effect this adjustment, they may be provided with slots 41 and secured to the sinker-slides by screws 42,passing through said slots.

43, disposed at close intervals on the under. side of the sinker-ring E. T-shaped slides E are adapted to slide in radial grooves 46 in inner ledge 45 on the under side of the sinkerring E, an annular channel 44 separating the outer series of radial grooves 43 from the innor series 46. These T-slidcs E correspond in shape with the T- slides C for the needlecarriers, and six sinkers, more or less,- are connected with each T-slide E A plate 48 on the under side of the inner. ledge of the sinker-ring E holds the slides E in position. These features are best shown in Figs. 6, 24, and 25. The inner ends of the T-slides E are connected with bell-crank levers 50, that are fulcrumed to studs 51 on the guide-shoulder e on the under side of the needle bed--' plate 0, said studs being of a length to permit suflicient vertical play for said bell-cranks E so that they are not affected by the vertically-reciprocating motion imparted to the sinker-ring. The inner ends of the fulcrumed' bell-cranks are connected with pins 52 011 a rotary reciprocating ring Egwhich is guided in a guide-groove on the under side of the needle bed-plate and flush with the same.

The required reciprocating inotion .is im parted to the ringE by a cam E on the shaft S and an intermediate fulcrumed lever E in' the same manner as the motion imparted to The sinker-slides E are adapted to move radially in an outer series of grooves IIO section for section, throughout the entire circumference of the needle bed-plate and sinker-ring.

The threadgu-idcs and their actuating mcch- CHltSTTL.-Ill connection with the horizontally reciprocating needles, vertically-reciprocat-.

ing pressenring, and vertically and horizontally reciprocating sinkers are arranged two sets of thread-guides F F in a circle around the needles, as shown in Fig. 2, said tl1read-.

guides being arranged in groups correspond ing to the groups of needles and sinkers.

The upper thread-guides F are arranged in groups of ten, more or less, held by their shanks in sockets of convex carrier-plates F which are hinged at their outer ends to plates F said plates being attached to thread-guidecarrier rings F The lower thread-guides F are also disposed in groups of ten, more or less, which are secured in a shorter carrier-plate F disposed under the carrier-plate F and hinged at its outer end to a plate F, that is secured to the throad-guide-carrier ring F, as shown in Fig. 10. On the pintles of the thread-guide-carrier plates F F" are applied helical springs f, by which the carrier-plates are held in their normal position, so that the eyes of the thread-guides are close together, as shown in Fig. 10. 711011 it is desired to pass the thread through the eyes of the threadguides, they are turned on their hinges up in vertical position against the tension-springs, so that the threading of the eyes is facilitated. The upper carrier-plate F is supported in position in both directions by stops, the screwstop f engaging a center slot of said plate F when the same is moved in vertical position,and a headed pin-stop f applied to an inwardlyprojecting arm f prevents the carrier-plate F from moving out of its horizontal position. The lower carrier-plate F is likewise provided with stop devices, so as to hold it in its two positions. A radial inwardly-extending screw f binds on the inner edge of the carrier-plate F and holds it in horizontal position, and a stop f that swings on a screw-pivot, serves when turned inwardly to engage the slot f of the carrierplate F 3 when the same is turned in upright position for threading. The thread-guideoarrier rings F and F are guided in the grooved main guide-ring F by means of a shoulder on the bottom of the same and inwardly-projecting ring-flanges '70 and 71 on the upper edges, so that each carrier threadguide ring has its circular guideway. The thread-guide-carrier ring F is provided at the middle portion of its inner face with ratchet-teeth 72, and the thread-guide-car- .rier ring F is provided 011 its outer face with ratchet-teeth 73, which teeth are engaged by pawls pivoted in pairs to two pawl-carrying rings G and G, that are guided at the bottom of the grooved main guide-ring F between a raised shoulder of the same and the inner faces of the thread-guide-carrier rings F F. The thread-guide-carrier rings F and F are not made continuous, but in detachable sections. The sections of the threadguide-carrier rings F F are provided with any small inaccuracies that may take place are confined only to a small section, but not multiplied and increased over the entire circumference of the guide-rings.

The main guide-ring F has no motion on its axis, but receives only a vertically-recip- Irocating motion by means of four upright supporting-rods F", which are guided in suitmotion by bevel-gears from vertical shafts S that are supported in suitable neck and step bearings of the outer standards A and rotated by bevel gear-wheels from the main drivingshaft S and the transverse shafts S SZas shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

As the mechanisms for imparting vertical]y-reciprocating motion to the main guide-ring F are applied to four equidistant points of the same, the up-and-down motion of the same is perfectly steady and reliable, so that the thread-guides are moved ifrom a point above and below the needles,

and vice versa, as required, for the proper formation of the stitches.

The awls for actuatin the threaduide- P s 2:

carrier rings F and F are disposed in pairs on the pawl-rings G and G, the several pairs of pawls marked g g being pivoted on the outer pawl-ring G and the several pairs co1nprising the pawls g and being pivoted on the inner pawl-ring G. The short pawls g of the outer pawl-ring G engage the ratchetteeth of the outer thread-guide-carrier ring F, and the long pawls g of said outer pawlring extend over the inner pawl-ring G and engage the ratchet-teeth of the inner threadguide-carrier ring F and springs 80 and 81 operate to hold said pawls in contact with their respective thread-guide-carrier rings. The short pawls g of the inner pawl-ring G engage the ratchet-teeth of the inner threadguide-carrier ring F and the long pawls g of-said inner pawl-ring extend over the outer pawl-ring G and engage the ratchet-teeth of the outer thread-guide-carrier ring F. Springs 81 operate to hold said inner pawls in contact with their respective thread-guidecarrier rings, the long pawls of each pawlring extending over the adjacent pawl-ring.

The pawl-rings G and G are given rotary reciprocatory motion in opposite directions to eachother by any suitable mechanism for that purpose. Referring to Fig. 13, when the outer pawl-ring G is moved toward the left in the direction of the point 1 of its arrow the inner -pawl-ring G is simultaneously moved oppositely in the direction of the point 2 of its arrow, and the effect of these opposite movements in the directions stated of these pawl-rings is that the shorter pawls g of the outer pawl-ring G engage the thread-carrier ring F and move it toward the left in the direction of its arrow and the short pawls g? of the inner pawl-ring G engage the threadcarrier ring F and move it in the direction of its arrow toward the right, the long pawls of both pawl-rings sliding loosely over the teeth of their respective thread-carrier rings.

When the motions of the pawl-rings G G are.

reversed and the pawl-ring G moves in the direction of the point 3 of its arrow and the pawl-carrying ring G moves in the direction of point 4: of its arrow, the long pawls g of the outer pawl-ring G engage the thread-carrier ring F and move it in the same direction toward the right in which it was moved before, and the long pawls g of the inner pawl-ring G engage the thread'carrier F and move it in the same direction toward the left in which it was moved before, both sets of short pawls in this instance sliding freely over theteeth of the thread-carrier rings without action thereon. The shifting of the motion of the pawl-carrier rings simply produces the alternation of the action of the pawls 'on the respective rings, the result being the intermittent rotary motion of the outer and inner thread-carrier rings, respectively, in the same direction and in opposite directions to each other, so that the thread-guides move intermittently or step by step in opposite directions to each other and produce thereby the proper formation ofthe knitting-stitches in connection with the needles,presser-ring, and

sinkers.

The rotary reciprocating motion which is imparted to the pawl-carrying rings G G is produced by means of two pattern-wheels G G which are clearly shown in Figs. 14 and 15 and which are eccentric to a vertical shaft S", which is hung by an enlarged head to the upper pattern -wheel G and guided in a hanger-plate G", that is attached to the under side of the main guide-ring F as shown in Fig. 14. On the hanger-plate G are guided frames 'G G having angular flanges at their ends, the flanges of the frame G being provided with protruding antifriction-points 90 and 91, that engage the circumference of the pattern-wheel G and the flanges of the frame G being provided with antifriction-points 92 and 93, which engage the wheel G The circumference of each pattern-wheel is made smooth for one half its length, while the other half of its length ,is made undulating. From the slide-frames G G", which are reciprocated by the pattern-wheels and which are arranged one below the other, extend angular arms 94 and 95 on the frame G and 96 and 97 on the frame G" that pass through openings in the bottom of the main guide ring F and are rigidly connected to the underside of the pawlcarrier rings G G, as shown in Figs. 14 and 16. The angular arms are screwed to the flanges of the slideframes G G and form thereby a rigid connection between them and the pawl-carrier rings, they being guided by a pivoted spring-pawl G that is applied to a double arm G, that is strapped around the shaft respectively above and below the ratchet-wheel G and connected at its. outer end to the forked end of a connecting-rod G the opposite end of which is pivoted to anintermediate oscillating elbow-lever G that is pivoted in a suitable manner to the supporting-frame and provided at the outer end with an antifriction-roller G that is acted upon by an eccentric-cam G on one of the auxiliary shafts S, to which rotary motion is trans mitted from the main driving-shaft S by the vertical shaft S and bevel-gearin g R in any thereby the step-by-step forward motion of the ratchet wheel G and of the patternwheels G G applied to the shaft S of the ratchet-wheel G The intermittent rotary motion that is imparted to the eccentric pattern-wheels moves the pawl-carrier rings in opposite directions until one half of the rotation of the pattern-wheels is accomplished. During the remaining half of the rotation of the pattern-wheels the motions of the pawlcarrier rings are reversed, bothrings, however, always moving in opposite directions to each other. One half of each pattern-wheel is divided into steps, of which ten are preferably arranged to correspond to the ten needles in each needle-carrier, so that each halfrevolution of the pattern-wheels moves the pawl-carrier rings, and thereby the two sets of thread-guides, step by step over ten ne'edles in opposite directions to each other. The remaining half of the revolution of the pattern-wheels produces the reverse motion of the pawl-carrier rings and by the action. of the pawls before described the step-by-stcp motion 'of the two sets of thread-guides in continuous but opposite directions to each other for another ten needles, and so on. The ec centric portions of the pattern-wheels are arranged on the shaft in opposite directions to each other, so that the described motion can be accomplished. The lower end of the shaft S is grooved and splined to the hub of the ratchet-wheel G for the purpose of providing for the up-and-down motion of the shaft S in connection with the vertically-reciprocating motion of the main guide-ring F said splined connection of the ratchet-wheel and shaft being shown in Fig. 17. v

The bobbins.-The threads by which the eyes of the upper and lower thread-guides F and F from two series of bobbins II II, that are arranged, respectively, on bearings of upper and lower bobbin-rings B B, the ring 5 being arranged on the circular top plateA on the supportingframe, while the lower rin'g B is supported on inwardly-proj ectin g brack ets a of the outer standards A, as shown in.

Fig. 2. The outer circumference of the bobbin-rin gs B B are toothed, so as to be engaged by 1notion-transmitting pinions 72, ]L3, one for each bobbin-rin g, as shown in Fig. 2, to which rotary motion is imparted from the main driving-shaft S by means of the auxiliary shafts S and eccentric cams 7L4, keyed to said shafts 8. To the eccentric cams are strapped arms 7L5, which are pivoted at their outer ends to oscillating brackets 72,, which carry pivoted and spring-actuated pawls 7L7, which engage ratchet-wheels W, as shown in Fig. 20. To the shafts h of the ratchetwheels h are keyed the motion-transmitting pinions 71.2 Its, by which the intermittent step-by-step rotary motion is imparted to the bobbin-rings B and B, and therebyto the bobbins H H, supported on the same. The bobbins are made of comparatively large size and receive a certain number of threads sufficient to supply a n u mber of thread-guides, the bobbins in the drawings carrying, for instance, twohundred and four threads for the upper thread-guides and a corresponding number for the lower threadguides. The threads are wound 011 the bobbins in the usual manner and conducted to the thread-guides over tension-rods h h thatare supported by frames 7L and it, respectively, which are placed loosely on the spindlesof the bobbins and connected at their lower ends to tension-springs 7t and h as shown clearlyin Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Connected to the frames of the tension-rods are springpawls 7L" and h, that engage ratchet-wheels h and h on the bobbin-spindles, so as to impart a positive motion to the bobbins while the threads are supplied to the thread-guides and needles. The tension-frame It follows the tension exerted by the threads on the same until the pawl 7L" strikes against a stop It on the supporting-bracket of the bobbins, which causes disengagement of the pawl from the ratchet-wheel, so that the tension-frame is moved under the action of its spring into upright position again,whereby the pawls engage the tceth of the ratchet-wheel and impart again a positive motion to the bobbins as required by the feed of the thread-guides and needles. The pawl 7& also engages a similar stop 71/.

The tension-springs h are passed around the pulleys 7L and attached by their ends to the sleeves h, that are clamped by set-screws 72, to graduated arms 7L applied to the bobbin-ring, as shown in Fig. 1, at the part where the bobbin is broken away, so that by the adj ustment of the sleeve on the graduating-arm the degree of tension of the spring is regulated 1 more orless, as required by the stiffness of the goods. The tension-springs h for the lower bobbins are preferably connected directly to the graduated rod h, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 2.

By the tension-springs described bobbins of comparatively large size respond quickly and accurately to the play of the threads and feed the same as required to the knitting parts. The motions of the bobbin-rings are .so timed that said rings move with the threadguides around the needles and keep thereby the upper bobbin-ring in one direction and thelower bobbin-ring in the other direction, so that they are always at their proper relative positions to the thread-guides by which the thread is supplied to the needles. The tubular fabric that is knit by the machine is drawn in downward direction by weights, and after a certain quantity is knit the fabric is taken up by means of plates 1', that are bent at their upper ends and attached by means of a sleeve to the verticallyreciprocating sinker-ring-carrying rods 0. The fabric is pressed against these plates by means of rollers i and by means of brackets t that are attached to the exterior standards A, said rollers being provided with ratchet-wheels that are engaged by spring-actuated pawls i which prevent the rollers from moving backward. During the downward motion of the rods 6 the platest' likewise move in downward direction and take the fabric along by the friction exerted on the fabric by the plates 2' and rollers t". VJ hen the rods 6 and the plates i are moved in upward direction, the rollers 11 are retained by the pawls i so as to be prevented from turning on their axes, whereby .the tubular fabric is prevented from sliding in upward direction. One of the plates 1; is :provided with a slitting-knife K, by which the tubular fabric is cut open at one point of its length, so as to permit its removal from the machine.

1 The driving-shafts S S are preferably in- ;closed by suitable sheet-metal casings that act as aguard to prevent the soiling of the fabric by contact with the same.

When a suitable length of fabric has been ;knittedsay twenty to twenty-live yards-it is pulled out sidewise and cut off in the manner well known to knitters.

i The operation of knitting the fabric will :now be described. The different positions iassumed by the devices directly connected with the formation of the stitches during the operation arebest illustrated in Figs. 26 to 31, and the positions of the threads in connection with the needles and guides during said operation are illustrated in Figs. 32 to 34:. In these figures a portion of the fabric 00, which has already been knit, hangs by its uppermost series of loops 3 on the needles 10, and knitting-threads marked 1 and 2, respectively, are connected to said fabric and extend out through the thread-guides to the spools, there being two such threads for each needle. At the beginning of the formation of the new stitch or loop the loop forming or ,knitting devices are in the relative positions indicated in Fig. 20, the needles, as 10, being fat their outmost limit, the sinkers, as E in inward and downward position, the presser- :ring D in its upward position, an d the threadguides F F in upward position above the plane of the needles. The tlwead-carrier needles, as shown in Fig. 32.

rings F F are then moved by means of the rack-and-pawl mechanism for the distance of one tooth, and said thread-guides F F are thereby shifted horizontally in opposite dircctions in a plane abovethe needles. This movement lays the threads 1 and 2 in opposite directions across the shanks of the Then by the downward motion of the main guide-ring F said thread-guides are moved in vertical direction, passing between the needles and assuming a position below the needles, as shown in Fig. 27. The needles remain at their outermost limit and the sinkers remain at their inner and lower position, holding the knitting fabric below the needles. The needles, their beards 11 being open, then move inward a partial stroke and cause the crossed threads 1 and 2, lying over the needles, to pass under the open beards. The uppermost loops 3 of the fabric already formed which are impaled on the needles are prevented from being carried inward on the inward movement of the needles by contact with the sinkers E The needles then make a short dwell or stop and the presser D comes down upon the beards 11 and closes them by depressing their points .into grooves in theshanks of the needles.

The needles on this partial inward stroke stop before the points of the beards pass inward to or beyond the notch or recess in the sinkers, as otherwise the impaled loops 3 would pass under the beards. At or about the same time that the needles make this partial inward stroke the sinkers E rise to permit the loops 3, impaled on the needles, to ride upward over the closed beards. The parts are then in the positions shown in Fig. 28. Then the sinkers move outward and upward to the position shown in Fig. 29, and the presser D remains in contact with the beards and holds them closed. This movement of the sinkers pushes the impaled loops 3 of the fabric already formed over the points of the closed beards and starts them on their upward ride over said closed boards, the parts being then in the positions illustrated in Figs. 20 and 33. Then the presser D rises and releases the beards 11 of the needles 10, and the needles resume their inward movement and assume the position indicated in Fig. 30, casting off the loops 3 over the bearded ends of the needles. These loops fall onto the threads 1 and 2 between their points of crossing through the needle beards and the thread guides, and new loops are thus formed which areim- I paled on the needles until a succeeding set of loops is knit in the same manner. Then the sinkers E are lowered to the position chine; but'this can be varied to some extent when heavier fabrics are required, in which case the motion of the thread-guides is slightly varied, which is produced by changing the shape of the pattern-wheels, by which motion is imparted to the thread-guides. These Variations, however, are well known-to the practical knitter,who simply changes the patternwheels when light, medium, or heavy fabrics are produced.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of reciprocating needles, a vertically-reciprocating presser-ring above said needles,verticall y and horizontally reciprocating sinkers below the needles, upper and lower thread-guides, and means for raising and lowering and intermittently shiftin g said thread-guides.

ring, two sets of thread-guides, a mechanism for imparting intermittent or step-by-ste=p rotary motion to said thread-guides in opposite directions to each other, and mechanism for im partingavertically-reciprocatin g motion to said thread-guides.

4. The combination of a circular series of knittingrneedles, means for reciprocating said ring above said needles, vertically and horizontall y reciprocating sinkers below said needles, two sets of thread-guides, guide-rings on which the thread-guides are mounted, means for intermittently moving said guide-rings and the thread-guides mounted thereon in op- I05 needles, a vertically-reciprocating presser-' IIO posite direction around the circular series of needles, andmeans for vertically reciprocating said guide-rings and said thread-guides supported thereon. i

5. The combination of two sets of thread guides, guide-rin gs for supporting said threadguides, said guide-rin gs having ratchet-teeth,

a ring-shaped guide-frame for said rings, two

pawl-carrier rings one for each guide-ring, pawls arranged in pairs oneach pawl-carr1er ring, a driving-shaft, a cam on said shaft, a mechanism between said cam and the pawlcarrier rings by which intermittent or stepby-step rotary motions in opposite directions are imparted to the guide-rings and threadguides.

0. Thecombination of a circular series of pawl-carrier rings one for each thread-carrier ring each provided with pawls arranged in pairs and adapted to engage the ratchet-teeth of both thread-guide-carrier rings, means for imparting intermittent or step-by-step rotary motion in opposite directions to said pawlcarrier rings, and means for intermittently raising and lowering the main guide-rin g whereby a vertically-reciprocating motion is imparted to the thread-guide.

7. The combination of two sets of threadguides, thread-guide-carrier rings, a guidering in which the thrcad-guide-carrier rings are mounted, pawl-carrier rings arranged in said guide-rin g inside of the thread-guide-carrier rings, said pawl-carrier rings being each provided with pawls arranged in pairs and adapted to engage the ratchet-teeth of the thread-guide-carrier rings, means for imparting an intermittent or step-by-step rotary motion to said pawl-carrier rings alternately in opposite directions whereby a continuous step-by-step motion is imparted to the threadguide-carrier rings, and means for imparting a vertically-reciproeating motion to the guidering and hence to the thread-guides.

8. The combination of a circular needle bed-plate, a circular series of movable 11ccdle-carriers arranged in said bed-plate and provided with inwardly-extending shanks, groups of needles arranged in said carriers, and means for operating said needle-carriers, said means embracing horizontal bell-crank levers, and an oscillating ring concentric with said bed-plate for actuating said levers.

9. The combination of a circular needle bedplate, a circular series of movable needlecarriers guided in said bed-plate and provided with inwardly-projecting shanks, groups of needles arranged in said carriers, means for operating said needle-carriers, said means embracing horizontal bell-crank levers, and an oscillating ring engaging said bell-crank le vers, a cam on the driving-shaft, and a lever connected to said cam and said oscillating ring.

10. The combination'of a vertical drivingsha't't provided with cams, an annular needle bed-plate surrounding said shaft, needle-carriers disposed in groups and guided in said bed-plate and provided with shanks, a mechanism between one of said cams and said shanks imparting a reciprocating motion to the same, a sinker-ring below the needle bedplate, sinker-carriers arranged in groups and guided in said sinker-ring, a mechanism between the second cam and the sinker-carriers imparting a reciprocating motion to said sinker-carriers, and a mechanism by which a vertically-reciprocatin g motion is imparted to the sinker-rin g.

11. The combination of a vertical drivingshaft provided with two cams, an annular needle bed-plate surrounding said shaft, needlecarriers disposed in groups and movable in said bed-plate, groups of needles in said needle-carriers, a mechanism between said needle-carriers and one of the driving-cams for imparting reciprocating motion to said carriers, a presser-rin g above said needles, means for imparting vertically-reci procatin g motion to said presser-ring from the driving-shaft, a sinker-ring below the needles, means for impartingvertically-reciprocatin g motion to said sinker-ring, sinker-ring carriers arranged in groups and guided in said sinker-rin g, a m echanism between said sinker-ring carriers and the lower cam on the driving-shaft for imparting a reciprocating motion to said sinkers.

12. The combination of a circular needle bed-plate, a circular series of reciprocating needles on said bed-plate, a vertically-reciprocating presser-ring above said needles, a vertically reciprocating sinker ring below said bed-plate, a series of horizontally-reciprocating sinkers guided in said sinker-ring, two sets of thread-guides, means for imparting a vertically-reciprocating motion to said thread-guides, means for imparting an intermittent or step-by-step motion to said threadguides in opposite direction to each other, and intermittently-movable bobbin-rings carrying bobbins respectively for the upper and lower thread-guides, said bobbins moving with their corresponding thread-guides in opposite directions to each other.

13. The combination of a stationary needle bedplate, a circular series of reciprocating needles guided in said bed-plate, a verticallyreciprocating presser-ring above said needles, a vertically-reciprocating sinker-ring below said needles, horizontally-reciprocating sinkers guided in said sinker-ring, two sets of thread-guides,a vertically-reciprocating main guide-ring, two carrier-rings for said threadguides, and means for imparting an intermittent step-by-step motion to said carrier-rings in opposite directions to' each other, said carrier-rings being arranged in sections, each one being operated independently of the other with the corresponding group of thread-guides supported thereon.

14. In a knitting-machine, the combination of a circular needle-bed provided with radial ways, a series of needle-slides movable in said ways, a series of needle-carriers connected with each needle-slide, each needle-carrier being adapted to receive a series of needles, and means for imparting a reciprocating motion to said slides.

15. In a knitting-machine, the combination of a needle bed-plate provided with an exterior ring having radial grooves and an interior ring connected with the exterior ring and provided with a less number of radial grooves, a series of needle-carriers the shanks of which slide in the radial grooves of the outer ring, each needle-carrier carrying a series of needles a series of needle-slides having radial shanks adapted to slide in the radial grooves of the inner ring, a series of needle-carriers being connected with each of said needleslides, and means for reciprocating said needie-carriers.

16. In a knitting-machine, the combination of a needle bed-plate provided with an outer ring having radial grooves, and an inner ring provided with a less number of radial grooves, a series of needle-carriers, the shanks of which slide in the radial grooves of the outer ring, each needle-carrier carrying a series of needles, a series of needle-slides having radial shanks adapted to slide in the radial grooves of the inner ring, a series of needle-carriers being connected to each needle-slide, an actuating reciprocating ring, bell-crank levers pivoted to said bed-plate and connected with the shanks of said needle-slides and said reciprocatin g ring, and means for reciprocating saidrin g.

17. In a knitting-machine, the combination of a sinker-ring provided With radial grooves, sinker-slides having shanks adapted to move in said grooves, sinker-carriers vertically adjustable on said sinker-slides, each carrying a group of sinkers, means for reciprocating said sinker-slides, and means for raising and lowering said sinker-ring.

18. In aknitting-machine, the combination of a sinker-ring provided With an outer ledge, having radial grooves, and an inner ledge having a smaller number of radial grooves, sinker-slides having shanks adapted to slide in the grooves of the outer ledge, sinker-carriers vertically adjustable on said sinkerslides, and adapted to carry a series of sinkers, actuating-slides having shanks adapted to slide in the grooves of the inner ledge, said actuating-slides having each a series of sinker-slides connected therewith, means for reciprocating said actuating-slides, and means for raising and lowering said sinkerring.

19. In a knitting-machine, the combination of a sinker-ring provided with an outer ledge having radial grooves, and an inner ledge having a smaller number of radial grooves, sinker-slides having shanks adapted to slide in the grooves of the outer ledge, sinker-carriers vertically adjustable on said sinkerslides, and adapted to carry a series of sinkers, actuating-slides having shanks adapted to slide in the grooves of the inner ledge, said actuating-slides having each a series of sinker-slides connected therewith, bell-crank levers pivoted to said sinker-ring and adapted to engage the inner ends of the shanks of said actuating-slides, a reciprocating ring for actuating saidbell-crank levers, and means for reciprocating said reciprocating rin 20. In a circular-knitting machine, the combination of a circular series of needles, a circular series of sinkers operating in connection with said needles, and a thread-guidecarrier ring surrounding said needles and sinkers and constructed in detachable sections, and means for actuating said carrier" ring.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in pres ence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ARTHUR E. LINDNER. 

